1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display assembly to be mounted downwardly on a ceiling, for example, in a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle. More particularly, the invention relates to a display assembly having a display unit movable between a retracted position, in which the display unit is received within a receptacle cavity of a casing, and a deployed position (or a viewable position), in which the display unit is turned downwardly to make its display screen viewable by a person.
2. Description of the Related Art
As one type of automotive display assembly to be provided within the passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle, there is an overhead type display assembly, in which a display unit is pivotably supported for pivoting between a retracted position where the display unit is oriented substantially parallel to the ceiling of the passenger compartment and a deployed position (or viewable position) where the display unit is oriented downwardly. The display unit is provided with a display screen which is formed with a liquid crystal display panel or the like. With the display unit being pivoted in the deployed position, the display screen can be viewed by one or more passengers in a rear seat of the vehicle.
An automotive display assembly of this type has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,055 to Rosen. This automotive display assembly includes a housing (or casing) defining a cavity, which is opened in a generally rectangular shape for accommodating a display unit. A support member is pivotably supported on one edge of the cavity. The support member is pivotable about a first shaft which extends horizontally. The display unit is pivotably supported on the support member by a second shaft extending perpendicular to the first shaft.
In the automotive display assembly constructed as set forth above, the display unit, which is normally placed at the retracted position, is deployed or descended to the deployed position by driving the support member to pivot about the first shaft. At this deployed position, the display unit may be pivotable about the second shaft for varying the orientation of the display screen.
In the automotive display assembly disclosed in the above-identified U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,055, if the support member is pivoted about the first shaft to have the second shaft in a substantially up-right position with respect to the lower surface of the housing, interference between the lower surface of the housing and the display unit will never be caused when the display unit is pivoted about the second shaft. However, when the support member is pivoted to orient the second shaft at an angular position of less than 90xc2x0 or more than 90xc2x0, and the display unit is pivoted about the second shaft at this position, interference may be caused between the display unit and the lower surface of the housing if the pivoted angle about the second shaft is large.
Accordingly, in the automotive display assembly in the prior art, the display unit must be oriented only in the substantially up-right position with respect to the lower surface of the housing to be able to turn the display unit at a large pivoted angle. As a result, it is difficult to adjust the orientation of the display screen at an arbitrary angular position.
In addition, since the display unit having a relatively large weight is pivotably supported on the support member by a thin shaft, the support structure for supporting the display unit on the support member is relatively weak and causes play in the connecting portion between the display unit and the support member after a long time of use.
An object of the present invention is to provide a display assembly that permits a display unit to be turned toward the left or right without causing interference with a casing when the display unit is obliquely deployed relative to the surface of the casing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a display assembly with a strengthened connecting means for connecting a display unit to a casing to be controllable in attitude.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display assembly to be mounted on a ceiling portion of a space comprising:
a casing having a downwardly directed face and a receptacle cavity of a substantially rectangular shape and opening into the face;
a display unit having a display screen to be received within the receptacle cavity; and
connecting means for connecting the display unit to the casing so as to be controllable in attitude, the connecting means having a rotary body rotatable about a first axis substantially perpendicular to the face of the casing, the display unit being supported on the rotary body for pivoting about a second axis extending perpendicular to the first axis,
whereby when the rotary body is placed at a predetermined rotational position, the display unit is pivoted relative to the rotary body to be received within the receptacle cavity.
It is preferred that when the rotary body is placed at the predetermined rotational position, the rotary body has a wall surface to be substantially flush with one of inner side walls of the receptacle cavity and the second axis becomes parallel to the one inner side wall of the receptacle cavity, to thereby enable the display unit to be received in the receptacle cavity.
It is also preferred that the casing is formed with a circular cavity formed to extend from the face of the casing to an inner bottom surface of the receptacle cavity, that the rotary body is of a generally disc shape and has a first half-disc portion having a lower surface lying substantially flush with the face of the casing and a second half-disc portion having a lower surface lying substantially flush with the inner bottom surface of the receptacle cavity, that the rotary body is rotatably supported within the circular cavity, and that the first and second half-disc portions are arranged at opposite sides across a boundary wall lying therebetween and providing the wall surface of the rotary body.